Scattering of topological surface-state carriers at steps on surfaces

Naoya Fukui, Rei Hobara, Akari Takayama, Ryota Akiyama, Toru Hirahara, and Shuji Hasegawa
Phys. Rev. B 102, 115418 – Published 17 September 2020
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Abstract

The resistance across a step on ultrathin films of three different topological insulators, Bi2Te3, Bi2Se3, and (Bi1xPbx)2Te3, was measured through anisotropy in two-dimensional resistivity by using the in situ square four-point probe method in ultrahigh vacuum. The step resistance was much larger for Bi2Te3 than for Bi2Se3 in the range of 1–10 quintuple-layer thickness, due to the smaller critical thickness for isolation of topological surface states in Bi2Te3. The transmission probability of carriers across a step is much higher for the bulk-insulating (Bi1xPbx)2Te3 than bulk-metallic Bi2Te3, due to prevention of scattering of surface-state carriers into the bulk states. We were able to deduce microscopic information concerning the transmission probability at individual steps from the resistance data obtained macroscopically.

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  • Received 29 April 2020
  • Revised 31 July 2020
  • Accepted 12 August 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.102.115418

©2020 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Naoya Fukui1,*, Rei Hobara1, Akari Takayama1,†, Ryota Akiyama1, Toru Hirahara2, and Shuji Hasegawa1

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
  • 2Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan

  • *n-fukui@rs.tus.ac.jp; Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2461 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan.
  • Present address: Department of Physics, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Ohkubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.

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Issue

Vol. 102, Iss. 11 — 15 September 2020

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